Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-06-26

D0d n match. ana W iof tho coih
we'll, we had bottle between us, and
a PORTION Of the stopper was quickly
converted into charcoal. With this |
LITERALLY "smutted my nose aud
eyes, and then tried to zee u i could
discern an antelope across the sights
with ordinary cleaIness.
II wns total transformation. The
animal stood out in bold relief and the
notch and bead OF the sights were rs
clear and distinct as even the most fas.
iidious on such subjects could desire.
blazed away nj the same old foolish
buck. who was still gazing in sort OF
wondering admiration ut MS, and had
the satisfaction of dropping him at the
first fire. We dined of antelope-steaks
that night, anda juicy, delicious morsel
it was, too. While visiting my friend
at lis ranch enjoyed more than one
delightful hunt. Among the game
bagged by myself may be mentioned
Il gallant buck of the blacktail-deer
species, with the most beautiful antl6rs
] have almost ever seen q brace OF
mountain sheep, and any quantity of
cotton-tail and jackass rabbits.
But my best sport was in hunting an-
telope among the herds. The foolish
creatures seemed utterly and totally
fascinated By the great big, half-civll-
Ized steers, and in roaming over the
snow-coyered prairie searching for the
antelope all that was necessary was
simply to spy bunch OF cattle and
there the game was sure to be found.
While hunting on the upper Mizpah
saw tracks of a great many elk, also
mountain lion trails, and frequent
and numerous evidences of CO.
votes and wolves by tho million.
The cowboys, however, were attend
ing to the latter, and-business, for
every now and then we would run
across fine chunk of meat, bloody
and tempting to the coyote palate, but
which was simply loaded with strych
nine. / counted in one place twenty
one coyote carcasses, but he miserable
cannibal survivors could not even let
their own children alone, for nearly
all if not every one of the dead ones,
were mangled, gnawed, or half-eaten
by their surviving relatives. The snow
was pretty deep all over the south Vel
lowstone ranges, and cattle had about
all they could do to rustic feed.
Our horses brcke through the crusted
snow, but the "light-fngered gentry
% the plains" found it sufficient to
bear their weight without breaking,
and so were having high old time fol-
lowing in the wake of weak cows and
young calves, ready to pounce upon
either at the least show of ''fail. More
losses had already occurred from these
pests than the cold weather. deep snow,
and scarcity OF feed had produced.
One cowboy, while riding the range,
although well armed and well mounted
vet alone, found himself followed by
score OF the brutes for many miles.
Although il was not an alarming situa-
ton, yet it was a dangerous one for
if any accident had occurred, such as
being compelled to spend a night on
the prairie, becoming endorsed, set
afoot in any way, or even show OF
weakness or fear, the big gray wolves
of the plains. as fierce and as bold as
tigers, would have attacked both man
and beast without the slightest delay.
IN returning from the ranch to the rail
road | found the route we had come
completely covered out of sight by
drifting snow. In some Of the couleeg
and gullies it was piled as deep as
eighteen feet and in travelling across
The trackless waste it was needful to be
on ones guard, fer there was pos
sibility and even probability of walking
directly into these traps without know
ing it. In fact, my horse did, while
calmly and soberly wading along, come
TO one of the places mentioned, and,
before either of MS suspected anything
OF the sort, stepped into space filled
with snow, and found ourselves wallow-
ING some twenty-odd feet below, with
"the beautiful piled in mass above,
beneath, and all around us. No dam
acc was done, however, as the bed was
q soft one, and a few minutes found us
ont of the drift and pursuing the
"eyen tenor of our way"